UE/L-7 Quicksilver
The Quicksilver L-7 is a compact, handheld railgun produced by United Engineering, in tandem with Ageira Technologies, and is sold only to military or paramilitary forces due to strict government restrictions. Finding one on the black market is not an impossible task, although it will run high in cost due to it's prohibited status. Operation Instead of using combustible propellants like most traditional firearms, the L-7 utilizes a series of powerful electromagnets in tandem with a coil-wrapped barrel to propel objects at frightening speeds out of standard, single stack 7 round magazines, causing devastatingly lethal amounts of damage across long ranges to armored and unarmored targets alike. In order to power the magnets, however, a finicky, volatile capacitor must be attached externally and replaced once depleted, usually after two or three magazines. This capacitor is prone to releasing massive amounts of stored energy if it sustains severe damage, producing an explosion akin to that of a magazine of .45 ACP collectively cooking off. Efforts have been taken by United Engineering to circumvent or mitigate this issue, to varying degrees of success. Ammunition The L-7 family fires a solid ferrous nickel-iron alloy slug measuring 1.275 inches in length and .472 inches in diameter, usually weighing in at 1 to 3 ounces per projectile. Additional types of ammunition are available, such as lead, tungsten, or depleted uranium shaped penetrator rounds. These slugs are all specifically constructed to have the highest armor-piercing potential, capable of penetrating through even the thickest of common advanced composite body armor types in use by the Nedztral military. This factor has lead to widespread controversy and debate, which in turn has made the weapon banned in all nations and prohibited in sale to registered military and paramilitary forces. Firing the round releases a burst of sparks and metal shavings from the end of the barrel, exposing the shooter. L-7A - Class 6 The L-7A was the first real version of the prototype L-7 handgun, although it was susceptible to many key design flaws. A faulty capacitor ejector switch would occasionally jam and deny the operator the ability to swap or remove the capacitor pack, requiring a professional to remove the device using special tools. This capacitor pack also suffered from poor heat shielding, with the polymer casing melting during sustained periods of fire and exposing the volatile internal components to damage. According to United Engineering's company page, this weapon never existed, but many can still be found on the streets. L-7C - Class 5 The only legal L-7 variant, this version adopts a large chamber to load the weapon with a single round of any kind, forgoing the magazine for extended versatility and legal status within civilized nations. Loading the weapon does require some time, as mandated by various governments, to ensure that users are not able to fire off quick shots in succession. Added weights bog the weapon down even further, but these are small prices to pay for legal status in the civilian market and near endless versatility. L-7L - Class 3 Featuring a longer slide above all else, the longslide variant of the Quicksilver L-7 sports a considerably longer barrel for enhanced accuracy at long ranges, trading mobility for greatly enhanced range. Slots for a stock and rails for a bipod or foregrip allow for maximum shooter comfort and effectiveness, while another rail on top of the extended "slide" can accommodate a scope or reflex sight. Mark 7 - Class 3 The Mark 7 is the latest variant, shaving a third off of the barrel and slide lengths to reduce weight. The external capacitor pack has been moved to the bottom of the magazine, and downsized tungsten Modular Explosion Containment Hamper (MECH) systems have been applied to redirect explosive force in the rare case of a severe reaction. It sacrifices a fair bit of range in order to lower weight and increase mobility drastically, in turn allowing for more rapid fire in close quarters combat, and removes all rail systems for an internal laser sight and tritium night iron sights. Currently in use by “Centurion” operators, but United Engineering is seeking other customers. L-7E Legendary - Class 1 Rumored to be in the Empress’ personal weapon collection, the L-7E “Legendary” boasts a 3.4x, ultra-thin scope with a set of backup tritium iron sights mounted at a 45 degree angle. It’s magazine capacity has been upped to 8, and the capacitor is located within the back of the weapon’s non-functional slide. An easily accessible lever system is used to eject the MECH-equipped capacitor clip. Counterweight by means of an integral laser/flashlight helps to balance the weapon and reduce recoil, allowing for faster follow-up shots at range, while a vertical foregrip helps the operator steady the weapon. Those who have caught a glimpse of the weapon say that the gauss handgun is gold-plated with an exquisite, laser engraved dragon pattern on the slide, although this is only a rumor. History As part of the Next Generation Pistol (NGP) program conducted by the Nedztral Military Forces, the L-7 began it's life as a conventional lightweight handgun chambered in .45 ACP, designated XL-6. It lost out very early on due to it's price point, weight, and low magazine capacity, despite being a very rugged, accurate, and ergonomic weapon. United Engineering, in response to this, looked elsewhere to make a return on profit, eventually collaborating with the gargantuan Ageira Technologies R&D department to create Project "Quicksilver", a prototype weapon that eventually led to the final iteration of the L-7 pistol. It’s initial release led to extremely negative response from gun control groups, ending in it’s status as a restricted weapon. Category:Weaponry